Changes of Mbunguthi Village: The western point of the village

Mbunguthi Village, Mangochi District
(Africa-Malawi)

The western shore of the Mbunguthi village is surrounded by Lake Malawi National Park. The village is named after sausage trees that used to grow by the lake. In 1940s, there were only temporal camps. After 1980s, fishermen, for instance the people of Tonga, migrated from the north and the population increased rapidly to about 3000 people. Offshore seine (called Chirimila) is the main way of fishing. Demands for fuel, such as firewood, rose because of the population increase and trees on the mountain were cut off. The vegetation change is evident. (Y. Kada)